Theodore Roosevelt


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Birth: October 27, 1858 in New York, New York
Death: January 6, 1919 in Oyster Bay, New York
Political Party: Republican
Terms: September 14, 1901-March 4, 1909
Vice President: Charles W. Fairbanks

Theodore Roosevelt the twenty- sixth was rushed into the office of president after McKinley was shot and killed. Roosevelt's policies were similar to McKinley's when he reached office but his big stick politics lead the way during his presidency. His foreign policy was legendary and his Corollary created a policy that would benefit the nation for generations to come. Theodore Roosevelt brought back the presidential power that had been lost by preceeding presidents. Roosevelt's administration deserves an A- because of his great foreign policy and his powerful control to make decisions that changed the nation for the better, without these decisions the United States would not be the power it is today.
The goals of Roosevelt's administration include modernization expansion and reform of the government, he wanted to implement what he called the "Square Deal" between the Business and labor, he wanted to break up the trusts between companies that had much power over the nation and even the government and he wanted to improve on foreign affairs and policy to insure America's world power. Theodore Roosevlet was exedingly successful with enforcing his goals, he was known as the "Trust Buster" because of all of the trusts he had broken up during his presidency, during the Pennsylvania coal miners strike Roosevelt threatened the mines owners that he would seize control of the mines and work them with federal troops, in which the owners agreed toa pay raise for the workers. Foreign policy was a strength of Roosevelt as his Corollary in which the United States would pay off an owed debt of another country and that debt would be owed thus to the United States, Roosevelt's intervening during the Panama canal dispute gained U.S. control over the Panama canal and also Panama's freedom from Columbia, and the Gentlemen's Agreement solved the dispute between he U.S. and Japan over japanese laborers and stopped the flow of Japanese immigrant laborers.
President Rooevelt had a great relationship for the most part with Congress. During his entire presidency the Republican party had a majority in both the senate and house of represenatives. In his first term there were 55 Republicans to 31 Democrats in the Senate, and 197 Republicans to 151 Democrats in the House. In his second term there were 57 Republicans to 33 Democrats in the Senate and 208 Republicans to 178 Democrats in the House. Roosevelt's Strong personality ensured his good relationship with congress as he had much control over the decisions congress made. Roosevelt fought hard for the panama canal and the Spooner act passed by congress in 1902 called for the building of the canal to the approval of Roosevelt. Roosevelt's "Square Deal" was much approved by the Senate for it would get rid of all of the powerful corperations that had control over the market and some control over the government. Roosevelt also signed the National Reclamation act, which would allow the government to set aside the proceeds of federal lands to pay for federal construction projects. Roosevelt's control over congress insured his power to set foreign policies like his corollary that would better benefit the nation as a world power. Roosevelt also had the power for much reform, as a conservationalist he set aside lands as national parks to perserve the natural resources for future generations.
The Roosevelt administrations most positive achievement was the act of reform during his presidency and also his foreign policy. Roosevelt called for business reform with his trust busting he created better conditions for workers better pay and also more sanitry workplaces with the meat inspection act. He worked to conserve the United States wild life and natural resources by creating national parks and wild life preservations to keep these resources for future generations. During his presidency Roosevelt also was very sucessfull in his foreign policy whcih helped create the United states as a world power. The corollary set a new standard to the world, it built on to the Monroe Doctorine but gave more power to the U.S. over other countries and said to the Eurpoean powers that the United States could be the only nation that could have control over Latin America. Roosevelts Big Stick politics helped him win the dispute over the Panama canal as he helped Panama with their revolution against the Columbians, by blocking the sea with the U.S. navy in which Panama declared independence and let the United States build the Canal. These accomplishments changed the nation by eliminating business control over government, securing resources for future generations and creatng a more powerful nation. The most negative outcome of Thoedore Roosevelts presidency was the panic of 1907. Ultimately this was not Roosevelt's fault, but this was a very difficult problem Roosevelt faced. The panic was set up by a number of wall street brokages going bankrupt and even the well respected Knickerbacker trust failed in 1907. Stock market prices dropped dramatically, and roosevelt was blaimed by many for causing the price drops. J.P. Morgan ultimately saved the day when he got together with banking associates and flowed money to the smaller failing businesses. This was the most negative outcome by the administration mostly becuase Roosevelt didn't do that much to solve the problem besides the Aldrich-Vreeland act, and his trust busting ways was blaimed for this as well.
The most lasting act of Roosevelt's administration would be his conservation of wild life and nature. He created national parks and wildlife preservations to protect the nature and wildlife of the United States. Roosevelt had created over a hundred national parks during his presidency to preserve nature. This seccured that these animals and natural resources would be available to generations in the future to be able to prosper if all natural resources were used up. This decision by Roosevelt inspired others to conserve the nature around them which could also be an inspiration for the modern conservation of water and electricity now. This also inspired a conservation of goods for the suffering European nations during WW1.
The nation was far better off at the end of Roosevelt's administration, he had gotten rid of the monopolizing trusts that controlled parts of the government, which lead to reform of the working conditions of workers and also higher pay and more sanitation of food products. he had refound the voice that had been lost of the president and granted power over the republican majority congress. He had built an imperialistic America that was begining to become a world power that gained control over the Carribbean islands and also most of latin America. His foreign policy settled many disputes over land between foreign nations. Roosevelt secured natural resources for future generations and had created an easier passage way through the panama canal to get around south America. These acts by Thoedore Roosevelt further helped to create the world power nation of America that the United States is today.
Bibliography:
"American President: Theodore Roosevelt." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Miller center University of Virginia. Web. 27 Nov. 2009. http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/roosevelt.

Smith, Carter. Presidents Every Question Answered. Irvington, New York: Hylas publishing, 2004.

"Theodore Roosevelt." The White House. U.S. Government. Web. 27 Nov. 2009. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/theodoreroosevelt/>.